Chapter 121

Tessa’s POV

“Drink from me…” I said again in a raspy whisper.

Joseph’s entire demeanor changed in an instant. He froze and I felt his hesitation. My heart was pounding at a rapid speed against my chest, and I wanted more than anything for him to be satisfied. I wanted him to feed from me. I wanted him to turn me into one of those blood slaves so I could be bound to him and become immortal, that way I could be with him for the rest of eternity.

But when he pulled away and looked at me with uncertainty in his eyes, I felt my heart nearly shattering. I suddenly felt cold, and I could feel his withdrawal.

“This had gone too far,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “I can’t drink from you.”

“Why not?” I pleaded to him, hearing and hating the desperation in my own voice. “I want you to…”

I reached out to run my fingers down the side of his face, but he backed away from me, standing to his feet and leaving me alone on the bed. A small whimper escaped my lips and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from sobbing right in front of him.

I never acted like this around a man before. What was wrong with me?

“I’m sorry…” he said slowly. He opened his mouth to say more but was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

Saved by the bell, I wanted to mutter.

He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and answered it without another look in my direction.

“Yes?” He said into the phone, he paused as the other person spoke.

I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I knew it was a guy from the deep murmurs on the other end. I also had a feeling it wasn’t a good phone call from the way Joseph’s body tensed instantly.

“What the hell do you mean?” Joseph hissed after a short pause. “How did you let that happen?”

He paused again as the other person tried to explain himself, but Joseph was too furious to truly listen to what he was saying. He was pacing back and forth, and I was getting even more nervous as the seconds went by.

“Okay, I’m on my way there now,” he said in a low and temperamental voice. He hung up the phone and turned to face me. “I have to leave for the day.”

“What?” I asked, raising my brows. “Leave? It’ll be dawn soon.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said as he grabbed his pants and shirt off the ground. “But you should get some sleep and I’ll be back in a few hours to join you.”

“How am I going to sleep knowing you aren’t here?” I asked, furrowing my brows together. “Can’t I come with you?”

“No!” He said a little too quickly. When he saw my startled look, he sighed and strolled toward me. Bending down, he pressed his lips against mine and allowed his touch and warmth to soothe me. “I promise I won’t be long,” he whispered against me.

I nodded as he pulled away.

Just as soon as he got himself dressed, he was gone, and I was left completely alone.

…..

The day was sleepless, but I managed to get a couple of hours. When I woke up, the sun was just setting. I was never going to get used to this reversed sleep schedule and when I return to school next week, it was going to be even more difficult.

But it was certainly worth it.

I rolled over in bed, reaching for Joseph for a quick morning cuddle, but felt nothing beside me. I frowned, opening my eyes, and then my heart fell into my stomach when I saw that he wasn’t in bed beside me.

His side of the bed was completely untouched.

Had he not come back at all today?

That heavy feeling returned to my heart as I quickly got out of bed. I wore a thin nightgown and my hair fell messily around my shoulders, but I didn’t care about how I looked. I needed to find Joseph.

I went from the bedroom and toward the kitchen where I heard some rattling about. I sighed in relief when I knew it had to have been Joseph in the kitchen. I also caught the sweet smell of fried bacon, causing my mouth to water.

I thought it was weird that we weren’t going to the Vamp House for breakfast like we had been the past few nights, but a smile tugged at my lips knowing that he was home and safe and—

My heart sank when I walked into the kitchen, and I didn’t see Joseph anywhere in sight. Instead, I saw Anna, and she was the one cooking breakfast.

When she saw me standing at the doorway, she turned and gave me one of her genuine and kind smiles.

“Good evening, Tessa,” she said politely just before turning back to her cooking.

“Anna?” I said, still a little sleepy and unsure if I was seeing her correctly. “What are you doing here?”

“Joseph called me a little bit ago and told me he was going to be gone a little longer than planned. He wanted me to make sure you were okay for today. I figured I’d come by early and make breakfast.”

I frowned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

“Joseph called you?” I asked, and I couldn’t hide the hopefulness and worry in my tone. “Is he okay?”

“Oh yes, he’s fine,” she said sighing. “He’s just hunting for a new vampire that escaped the school this morning,” she said, shaking her head. “It rarely happens, but even our schooling system isn’t perfect. As the retriever Joseph has a better chance of finding them and bringing them back safely.”

“A new vampire escaped?” I asked, now I was awake and alarmed.

The last time new vampires escaped they terrorized the humans. They killed people all around me, but it was me they were truly after.

Is this new vampire the same as the others?

I didn’t ask that question out loud, but she could tell from my face that I was worried.

“You don’t need to worry, dear. Joseph and the warriors at the academy have it handled. He shouldn’t be much longer. I’m thinking within the next couple of hours he will be home.”

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as she handed me a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast. I smiled my thanks to her and went to join her at the table.

“Why are we having breakfast here and not at the vamp house?” I asked, taking a bite of the bacon.

“I thought you could use a quiet breakfast this evening,” she answered. “Plus, Bernard had to tend to some business this evening and Connor got an early start on his nightly duties. “

“I see…”

“Oh, that reminds me. I told Nathan I would help out in the gardens tonight. Care to join me?”

“The gardens?” I asked, peering over at her with a timid frown.

She nodded.

“It’s one of my favorite places in this village,” she breathed. “You’ll love it there, I’m sure.”

“I’d love to help,” I said, and I honestly meant that. “It might be good to get my mind off Joseph.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” she said with a wink.

Once we finished eating, Anna gave me some time to shower and get dressed. Once I was done, I joined Anna in the living room.

“Ready?” She asked.

I nodded.

“Yes,” I answered.

Together, we left the house and went toward the woods that lead into the village center, which I just learned they called the “plaza.” The sun had completely set, and vampires were beginning to roam the village. Most of them were walking toward the Vamp House. There were some humans too, some were walking alongside vampires, but then I noticed that others were walking with other humans.

They were talking and laughing like they were regular friends.

In the far distance, walking in the opposite direction and towards the forest, I saw Ryan. He walked with his head held high like he was the one in charge.

Seeing him gave me an uneasy feeling and I had to stifle a grimace as his eyes found mine. I swear, I thought I saw a smirk appearing on his lips just before he broke his eyes from mine and continued in the direction of the forest.

Trialing behind him, was Fae. She kept her head low and her face seemed to be much paler than yesterday. I furrowed my brows together as her face became clearer to me. She looked worn out and tired as if she hadn’t slept in days. I also thought I saw tears staining her pale cheeks and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest.

The sight of her made me want to stop walking. I wanted to run toward her. But the sound of Anna’s voice brought me back to the moment.

“Tessa, are you coming?” She asked, frowning at me. “It’s only a little further.”

I looked at Anna and gave her a quick nod before glancing back in Fae’s direction. But she was gone and so was Ryan.

When we got to the gardens, there were only a couple of others there and I knew right away that they were vampires. The gardens were a huge and beautiful place just outside the battlegrounds. There were numerous gorgeous plants and flowers blooming all over the place. They built a cobblestone pathway through the garden and stone benches in each corner.

The entire garden area was decorated with vinelike lights that sparkled and shined in the night’s air. But it wasn’t overwhelming. They were dimmed and colorful. It made the flowers look brighter and more alive.

Just beyond the gardens was where they kept the crops and did all the farming. I knew Nate worked a lot over there when he wasn’t busy being a counselor and tending to the needs of the villagers.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.

Anna smiled and nodded.

“Grab a watering can from the shed and fill it with the tap. Then join me near the rose bushes,” Anna said as she walked toward the thorny bushes.

The wooden shed rested on the edge of the gardens and the doors were already open when I reached it. There were a bunch of watering cans sitting on the shelf. I grabbed one and then saw a water tap on the ground, which is where I filled the can before walking back toward Anna.

A weird sense washed over me, causing my entire body to freeze. An icy chill crept up my spine, and I shuddered at the sensation. By some weird reflex, I lifted my head to the sky as if I was waiting for something, or maybe I was listening for something.

Then, I heard it.

Through the peaceful trees of the mountain, I heard the shrilling sounds of a scream piercing through the night’s air.